Girls water polo preview

La Cañada

The only team in the area to make it in water polo, La Cañada boasts a 23-6 record and a perfect 8-0 in Rio Hondo league play. They enter the CIF Division IV playoffs with a strong head and are at least within striking distance of a CIF title.

The team, fronted by Berit Kessler and Riley Kaesler and anchored by seniors Shannon Streeter, are ranked fourth in Division IV and have proven they can be, at times, better than that, nearly beating Ayala, ranked top 10 in Division III.

In a candid conversation with the Valley Sun on Friday, Spartans Head Coach Steve Silversparre said he believes the Spartans are prepared, and have come a ways since the start of the season.

“We’re ranked No. 4,” Silversparre said, “so we’re aiming for the semifinals.”

Coach Silversparre admitted he’s wanted the players to be more aggressive in recent weeks and that they’ve been following through on that the last couple of games.

La Cañada has a rich history of water polo success. The girls’ team this year follows that tradition and they have as decent a shot as any team they face in the pool at putting together a title run.

La Cañada will face Righetti, the Pac 7 league No. 3 seed, at Pasadena City College at 5 p.m. today.

If they win, they’ll face the winner of the Burbank-Oxnard match on Saturday.